Spencer Churches facts for kids

The Spencer Churches are two Christian groups in the United States. They are also sometimes called the Union Churches. These churches were formed after a split in the Union Church of Africans in the 1860s. The original Union Church was started by Peter Spencer. He was a freed slave who founded the church in Wilmington, Delaware in 1813.

History of the Spencer Churches

How the Churches Began

In 1865, one of the Spencer Churches, the Union American Methodist Episcopal Church, was formed. The next year, another church in Maryland joined the African Union Church. This group then changed its name to the African Union First Colored Methodist Protestant Church and Connection. It is often called the A.U.M.P. Church for short.

Why Independent Churches Were Formed

In the early 1800s, many African Americans wanted to have their own churches. They wanted to lead their own religious groups and make their own decisions. This led to the creation of several independent Christian denominations. For example, the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church started in Philadelphia. The AME Zion Church began in New York. And the African Union Church, which led to the Spencer Churches, was founded in Wilmington. After the American Civil War, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church was also started in the Southern United States.

A Big Reunion in 2012

In May 2012, something important happened. The two Spencer Churches joined with three other African-American Christian groups. These were the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. They also joined with the United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Church had mostly white members for a long time.

These churches had been talking about this for ten years. The United Methodist Church had said sorry for unfair treatment in the past. By joining together, these five groups agreed to work closely. They decided to "recognize each other’s churches." This means they respect each other's beliefs and ways of worship. They also agreed to share religious ceremonies and support each other's leaders.

The Methodist Church Split and Reunion

Before the American Civil War, the Methodist Episcopal Church had split into two parts. There was a Northern church and a Southern church. They separated because the Northern churches did not support slavery. Later, in the 1900s, these two parts of the Methodist Church came back together. They formed what is now known as the United Methodist Church.